If Community can have a gas leak season, why can’t SNL? Lorne Michaels would probably use the phrase “in transition” to describe last season, but a “constant sense of boring unease” would work, too. There were so many people fighting for precious screentime that too often, in an attempt to stand out, the new additions hit their punchline just a little too hard, while the old guard seemed wary of trying to become the next Kristen Wiig, someone who added authority to any sketch she was in. After only a single episode this season, the show’s 40th, one thing’s already clear: the cast looks more confident.
This wasn’t even that great of an episode — only the stretch from “Marvel Can’t Fail” to “Bad Boys” stood out, and “Animal Hospital” was downright horrible — but at least it was likable and relaxed, two words I would also use to describe Chris Pratt, along with “handsome,” “charming,” and “who’s the better celebrity couple: Pratt/Anna Faris or Nick Offerman/Megan Mullally?” There’s still some work to be done, obviously, but this could prove to be a pretty decent year, and that’s all we can really ask from SNL.
Previously: Chris Pratt’s musical monologue and “Marvel Can’t Fail”
Cold Open
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Immediately, we’re in full blown “mocking the NFL” mode. There are many ways to make fun of that potato in a suit Roger Goodell — I’m partial to Kissing Suzy Kolber’s fake Nathan for You — but there’s not nearly enough of it here. Instead, Kenan and Jay trot out their well-worn Ray Lewis and Shannon Sharpe impressions to make a point about former players who did bad things commenting on current players doing bad things, but that requires a knowledge of who these men are and what they did. Not a terrible start, just weird that it was placed so high.
He-Man and Lion-O
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Chris Pratt and Taran Killam touching their junk as He-Man and Lion-O: messy, but good. Chris Pratt and Taran Killam touching their junk as He-Man and Lion-O, while Ariana Grande does the same as She-Ra: messy and weird, but also good. Chris Pratt and Taran Killam touching their junk as He-Man and Lion-O, while Ariana Grande does the same as She-Ra, and also Taran’s wife, Marvel Universe mainstay Cobie Smulders, is there for some reason: (would have been) GREAT. Oh well.
Animal Hospital
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I don’t know what time “Animal Hospital” aired last night, but whenever it was, mark it as my first SNL groan of the season. I’d rather watch an entire season of Animal Practice than see this sketch again.
Weekend Update: Girl You Wish
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The longest Weekend Update in recent memory was actually…pretty good. Look, it’s a bummer that Cecily Strong isn’t behind the desk anymore, and vanilla muffin Colin Jost still is, but she’s better at character work anyway, so if her not being the Amy to Jost’s Seth means we get more Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation with at a Party, then I’m fine it.
Weekend Update: Leslie Jones
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I’m also fine with more #1 Ghost Whisperer fan Leslie Jones…
Weekend Update: Pete Davidson
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…and newest cast member Pete Davidson, who made the quite first impression (not doing an impression certainly helped). He’s only 20 years old, and it’s clear the cast feels protective of him (notice how many people were pointing at Davidson to share the spotlight with Pratt during the closing credits), but despite nearly breaking almost the entire time, he never stumbled over the joke, which is more than you can say about Aidy Bryant in the cold open, and in a single segment about sucking guy’s d*cks, he seemed like a stronger addition to SNL than an entire season’s worth of Brooks Wheelan ever did.
Weekend Update: Colin and Michael
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To his credit, Jost marginally improved from last season to this one, while Michael Che’s already a natural, which shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who saw him on The Daily Show.
Booty Rap
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If “Booty Rap,” which was like the “Summer Nights” scene from Grease, except with “Anaconda,” had been cut in half, it could have worked, maybe, but the joke was stretched out for too long. PLUS, Pratt wasn’t able to rap “Forgot About Dre.” Damn shame.
Bad Boys
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Easily my favorite sketch of the night. I guess intentionally terrible parodies of TGIF-style sitcoms with Chris Pratt hanging out with a bunch of young toughs, emphasis on the word “young,” and establishing shots of castles and sleepy-eyed morals and cheesy saxophone solos are in my comedy wheelhouse. I’m very happy Kyle Mooney and Beck Bennett are still around.
NFL Intros
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This one hurt. Not because it was bad (the concept is sound, even without Quatro Quatro, and I think it would have worked better as the cold open than the other NFL sketch), but because I’m a Carolina Panthers fan, and now I’m going to be thinking about “Donald Wasburn, American Taliban” during their game against the Ravens later today. Shame SNL couldn’t have gotten Steve Smith, though he might have decked any writer stupid enough to pitch him the idea. Also, Colin Jost as the punter is perfect.
Ariana Grande (“Break Free” and “Love Me Harder” ft. the Weeknd)
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Who let that cat ear-wearing 12-year-old girl wear such inappropriate…oh, right, Ariana Grande. She’s got one hell of a voice, but Grande stills needs a Mariah Carey-level anthem to call her own. Clock’s running out before she’s thrown in prison for killing all her fans, too.